News

The very first Youth Can Summer Camp was a big success! An opportunity for 34 program's boys and girls to spend a fun, creative, productive, bonding, and unforgettable week together is a product of many generous, creative, and hard working individuals.

Usually, the Lithuanian Cultural Camp Neringa​ would have been packed with children's excitement, commotion, and laughter this time of the year. However, these days its visitors are just the occasional bird or frog. While many were left heartbroken not to have the opportunity to see their friends at Neringa, the camp administration, counselors and community members have been working hard to keep everyone connected.

Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevicius had a meeting with Lithuanian diaspora youth currently doing their internships in Lithuania thanks to Bring Together Lithuania and Lithuanian National Foundation programs.

For the first time KFF program “Youth Can” is bringing summer camp experience to its students. This opportunity is only possible with a help of generous supporters. Together with Jonas Nainys, "Youth Can" is inviting local Lithuanians to contribute and bring the experience of summer camp free of charge to children who need the financial assistance.

Even though the pandemic forced many to change their summer plans, Bring Together Lithuania program, powered by the Kazickas Family Foundation, is still on. It provides Lithuanian diaspora youth with opportunities to acquire professional skills, meet global Lithuanians and explore modern Lithuania during their 6 week stay in summer.

Six years ago the world lost a great man who touched so many hearts, Joseph P. Kazickas (1918-2014). His legacy of love, gratitude, generosity and dignity continues reaching many more and is shared through his children's and grandchildren's work and memories. Today, when love and hope is in high demand, J. P. Kazickas' granddaughter's words, shared six years ago, remind us of the humble wisdom he lived by:  

Every year on July 6th, Lithuania celebrates a State Day, also known as the Day of Coronation of King Mindaugas (1253). In 2009 a beautiful initiative started inviting all the Lithuanians across the globe to join in singing the Lithuanian National Anthem together. Once again, today at 9 pm Lithuanian time, it will be heard from Lithuania, across Europe, the Americas, reaching Asia, Australia, and Africa.

On June 18th another “Youth Can” season was celebrated with a coach appreciation event in a beautiful countryside in Kedainiai region. A hot summer day started with a kayaking challenge down the Nevezis river, followed by an intimate indoor ceremony. The Kazickas Family Foundation Vilnius office director Agne Vertelkaite congratulated everyone and thanked them with letters of gratitude.

On June 17th, 2020, the day marking Alexandra Kalvenas-Kazickas centennial, Vytautas Zemkalnis High School held a virtual ceremony presenting school's students and teacher with the special awards. Last year the Kazickas Family Foundation established such awards to honor Alexandra Kalvenas-Kazickas (1920-2011) memory.  

June 17^th, 2020 marked the 100^th jubilee of Alexandra Kalvenas-Kazickas’s (1920 – 2011) birth. She was a loyal patron of Lithuanian culture and education. To honor this remarkable and noble person, Holy Mass was offered at the church of St. Johns’ in Vilnius, followed by a special event to award the recipient of a Literacy Award in memory of Alexandra Kazickas and her teacher Petras Butenas.